OP THE BEITISH ISLANDS. 13 



Family COLUMBID^. Genus Ectopistes. 



PASSENGER PIGEON. 



ECTOPISTES MIGEATOEIUS {Linnaus). 



Columba migratoria, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 285 (1766) ; Fleming, Hist. Brit. An. p. 145 

 (1828) ; Eyton, Hist, rarer Brit. B. p. 30 (1836). 



Ectopistes migratorius (Linn.), Yarrell, Brit. B. ed. 4, iii. p. 28 (1883); Seebohm, 

 Hist. Brit. B. ii. p. 414 (1884) ; Salvadori, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxi. p. 369 (1893) ; 

 Dixon, Nests and Eggs Non-indig. Brit. B. p. 360 (1894) ; Seebohm, Col. Pig. Eggs 

 Brit. B. p. 160, pi. 47 (1896) ; Sharpe, Handb. B. Gt. Brit. iv. p. 260 (1897). 



Geographical distribution — British .• No less than five examples of 

 the Passenger Pigeon are known to have been shot within the British area, but 

 it is impossible to say how many — if indeed any — of these had escaped from 

 confinement, or reached us on abnormal flight. The bird formerly used to be 

 kept commonly in captivity, whilst we know that individuals have actually been 

 imported and turned loose in our islands. On the other hand there is nothing 

 exceptionally remarkable in such a bird of powerful flight reaching our shores 

 unaided ; and when we also bear in mind the extraordinary wanderings of this 

 Pigeon in its native country we seem fully justified in giving it the benefit of the 

 doubt, and admitting it into the British list. To say the least, there are several 

 other species retained therein without question, possessing less claim to the 

 distinction. The British occurrences are as follows : — Scotland : Fifeshire 

 (December), Berwickshire (October) ; England: Yorkshire (October), Cambridge- 

 shire (July) ; Ireland : Co. Kerry. Foreign : Eastern Nearctic region. This 

 Pigeon is now very locally distributed through the deciduous forest regions of 

 eastern North America, from northern Maine west to northern Minnesota, and 

 in the Dakotas and the eastern and middle portions of Canada northwards to 

 Hudson Bay. According to the late Captain Bendire this species still breeds in 

 scattered pairs in the New England States, northern New York, Pennsylvania, 

 Michigan and Wisconsin, and in a few other localities further south. "Winter 

 area, south of lat. 36°. 



Allied forms. — As previously remarked the present species is the sole 

 surviving member of the genus, and has no allies sufficiently close to demand 

 notice here. 



